The present invention relates generally to inductor pumps for pumping highly viscous fluid from containers. In particular, the present invention relates to elevator controls for lifting and lowering platens used to push the fluid from a drum or container.
Inductor pumps typically comprise a linear pneumatic ram that forces a pipe having a platen into a drum. The platen includes a central bore that leads to a passageway in the pipe. As the platen is lowered into the drum by the pneumatic ram, the highly viscous fluid is forced into the central bore and up the passageway. The fluid is pushed into a pneumatic pump that forces pressurized fluid through a hose into a dispensing device where an operator can dispense a metered amount of fluid into some other typically smaller container.
Compressed air for operating the pneumatic ram and the pneumatic pump is delivered to a control panel on the inductor pump from a compressor or some other source. A compressed air line from the control panel is connected to either the pneumatic ram or the pneumatic pump, depending on which sub-system is being operated. In order to lift the platen, the compressed air is connected to the pneumatic ram. An on/off valve on the control panel is opened to allow air into the actuator to lift the platen so that a container of fluid can be positioned under the platen. Sometimes it is necessary to manually open a vent in the platen to prevent a vacuum from forming in the container. The on/off valve is closed to allow the platen to descend into the container. With the platen in a container, the compressed air line is disconnected from the pneumatic actuator and connected to the pneumatic pump. The on/off valve then toggles operation of the pump to control dispensing of the fluid from the container. Quick disconnect couplings are used on the compressed air line to facilitate operation of the actuator and pump. However, operation of the inductor pump is slowed by having to wait for the container to fill through the vent and by having to switch the source of compressed air. There is, therefore, a need for a more expediently controlled inductor pump.